With the regular legislative session starting today, Arkansas lobbyists and advocacy groups are expecting lawmakers to address issues that range from Medicaid reimbursement rates to farming lessons in elementary schools.
As hospitals struggle to manage rising costs, adjusting the state’s Medicaid rates is a priority for the Arkansas Hospital Association. Inpatient reimbursement rates haven’t changed since 2007 when they were raised from $675 a day to $850. Outpatient rates have stayed the same since 1992, said Jodiane Tritt, vice president of the association.
“So if you have open-heart surgery and are a Medicaid patient, the hospital is reimbursed $850 a